Next Year's Roster

[UConn_Top_Dog]

Boat and Rodney will be the leaders of next year's team. Hopefully Boat is ready to take that role.

 

[ctchamps]

I think I'll know how next season turns out in 21 minutes.

I think I'll know how this season turns out in 20 minutes.

 

[UConnDad]

Optimistic about next year as usual. Can picture Rodney becoming the leader of this squad. See the team being improved next year and definitely offensively. Rebounding will be improved. Defense could take a little work but less second chances should help. Omar's game should improve. But hey we're not finished this year yet. There is plenty of time to still do some damage before we lose any of these guys. I think we some great games coming up!

 

[ConnHuskBask]

The Boneyard is a funny place.

On one hand Napier is the best player in college basketball and the other hand his loss is no big deal.

Boat is not a PG. Period. From everything I've read, neither is Purvis.

That's a lot of weight to be putting on Terrence Samuel shoulders in addition to the the aforementioned combo guards.

PG is likely the most important position on college basketball were losing an All time great husky and don't have a replacement. Just let that sink in.

 

[Tenspro2002]

I think we'll be better next year, especially if the bigs come along and start playing consistently well.

G: Purvis, Samuel, Cassel
G: Hamilton, Calhoun
F: Daniels, Tolksdorf
F: Nolan, Facey, Lubin
C: Brimah, Nolan

I think Boat goes and plays overseas.

I disagree that we'll be better next year -- I think the void in leadership will be too great, and it will take more than half a season to sort of, maybe even a full season, with Purvis and Hamilton taking the reins in 2015-16.

I disagree that DD will start at the 3 and Hamilton at the 2. That's way not enough ballhandling or shooting ability. Even without Boat, we'll start either Samuel or Cassell at the 1, Purvis at the 2, Hamilton at the 3, DD at the 4, and Brimah at the 5. That's plenty of size, and a potent offensive attack, with skilled players at four positions. Nolan will be the primary backup at the 5, Facey and Lubin at the 4 (albeit with a completely different offense when one of those two is in for Daniels).

Boat will not leave early to go to Europe. If he does leave, it'll be because he thinks he can be a first round NBA pick (which he couldn't reasonably conclude this year). You may be correct in your implication that Boat has had an eye on the next step from the time he got here and is eager to leave, but Ollie will convince him to stay and build his draft resume next year.

 

[Henry]

Losing Shabazz can't be helped but it is a big loss. Boatright has tried establishing himself since the beginning of January and is doing a much better job at taking over when Shabazz is out. I also think Samuel will be very good. He has impressed me the short time he has played with his fearlessness and ability to get to the basket. My fear is that Omar ad Daniels won't improve. By now, Daniels should be more consistent. I'll give Omar until Xmas next season in case his surgeries have hurt his play. Brimah and Nolan will be better. We should be okay next year.

 

[Jluc]

The Boneyard is a funny place.

On one hand Napier is the best player in college basketball and the other hand his loss is no big deal.

Boat is not a PG. Period. From everything I've read, neither is Purvis.

That's a lot of weight to be putting on Terrence Samuel shoulders in addition to the the aforementioned combo guards.

PG is likely the most important position on college basketball were losing an All time great husky and don't have a replacement. Just let that sink in.

Boat is our starting point guard next year. Period.

 

[David 76]

Don't we have a game tomorrow?
This stuff is for summer.
But I'm sure we're DOOMED!

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Boat is our starting point guard next year. Period.

Good luck with that. I like boat, I really do.. that being said he's one of the least fundamentally sound players in UConn history and has a poor basketball iq. Not what you want from your starting pg.

 

[UConn17]

Good luck with that. I like boat, I really do.. that being said he's one of the least fundamentally sound players in UConn history and has a poor basketball iq. Not what you want from your starting pg.

Do tell what his poor fundamentals are.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Do tell what his poor fundamentals are.

Ok, how about " saving" the ball last game by jumping out of bounds and throwing it under the Cincinnati basket fit starters?

 

[David 76]

Come on. He has really improved his prior tendency to get out of control. He will start the year at the point for sure.

 

[UConn17]

Ok, how about " saving" the ball last game by jumping out of bounds and throwing it under the Cincinnati basket fit starters?

That's more his basketball IQ. But Boat has really improved so much as a point guard this year and will be even better next year.

 

[CTBasketball]

I liked out-of-control Boat more than this new in-control Boat.

 

[joober jones]

Here's my vote for who I think will be hitting the game winning shots

Published on Dec 8, 2013

After trailing for the entire second half, Daniel Hamilton's buzzer-beating 3-pointer stunned host Whitney Young HS at the 2013 Chicago Elite Classic at UIC Pavillion giving St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) a 62-59 win.

He bears a striking facial resemblance to Brimah.

 

[Husky25]

Unless you know something about Boatright's situation that no one else does, he will do nothing of the sort. Players don't leave school early unless they think they'll get drafted and cash in as an NBA player. Boatright was barely a second round pick last year and he's done nothing to raise his stock this year.

Bottom line is playing overseas is a consolation to being an NBA casualty. Its a way to make ends meet and try again next year. They certainly dont cash in like they would in NBA and I don't think Ollie has to convince him to stay. He has Ricky Moore on staff, who lived it.

 

[mauconnfan]

I'm with ConnHuskyBask on Boat but I think he may be better just because if what he will inherit…….he is not a good PG now, only sufficient for when Boat needs a breather or is on foul trouble. There is nothing smooth about our O when Boat's not in but let's be honest, even when he is in it sometimes has trouble flowing so this isn't all a Boat-thing.

Anyway these guys are pretty much the only 2 that can go from perimeter to the basket, taking their defender off the dribble. On occasion Kromah has been able to but Omar and Giff not so much at all. Next year throw in Purvis and Hamilton on either side of our chosen PG and it's not as much a chore to get the offense flowing. 2 guys on the wings who can shoot it and take their guys off the dribble will help anyone who plays the PG position next year, make it a little easier than now. Ryan is a nice player but his natural instincts with the basketball are not that of a PG, it's okay but they're not. He will need to quit the 20 dribbles between the legs out by the arc prior to going somewhere because you can't lull your guys to sleep, there will need to be more ball movement and getting it to guys in good position to shoot or take their man rather than a bail out pass jumping in the air which he does do. Just more on his feet and thinking out the next pass or drive and kick……right now he's a playmaker and he's fine but this will be a major change in order to get the players confidence. Can he do it? I think so and this team will be more equipped to help him ease in…….the bigs should be better at everything too as they improve, picks, posting up etc…….it all needs to fall in place for a guy like Ryan to be good at the PG which is not natural to his game. Will be a fun position to watch if he elects to stay!

 

[David 76]

I hope he makes the transition. It is the best thing for him too (given his size). I like the little warrior and his only chance at the NBA is a trans-formative year at PG next year.
Best wishes

 

[Rico444]

Boatright, DD a year older, Brimah a year more experienced, D-Ham, and of course never nervous Purvis...next year's team has the potential to be Final Four good. There's also a bunch of new pieces and we're losing one of the program's best players, so there's the chance they don't gel. I'm excited to see what happens.

 

[Ct79]

Next year I don’t think we will have to rely as much on the point to do everything for us like we’ve had to recently. We haven’t had the NBA caliber prospects at the 2 and 3 the past few years so Bazz has had to do everything. Next year is different with Purvis and Hamilton in my opinion. Boat is more than capable of running the point because the talent on the wings will take a lot of pressure off of him. We will obviously miss the leadership and shot making ability of Bazz but we will have more offensive options to work with. I believe that our rebounding and defense will be better next year because of the continued improvement of Brimah, Nolan and Facey. We will also a more athletic tem from positions 1-3 and we will only have one little guy in the backcourt rather than two. I think this athleticism will force a lot of turnovers and allow us to pressure more on the perimeter. I think we will also get a lot more offensive boards and get to the line more again. We will have guys that like to attack the basket more rather than settling for threes. I think the improved D, rebounding and athleticism will allow us to play the style of ball Ollie wants to play all the time, a more up-tempo style that we haven’t really had for a while. I feel like Boat will thrive in this style. If we had to rely on him next year like we do Bazz we might be in trouble but hopefully we won’t need him in the role. Boatright, Purvis, Hamilton and hopefully Daniels next year will give us a lot of options on offense and a nice mix of shooting and slashing ability. I haven’t even brought up the bench that also has some good talent.